Soft spikes and walking on the line

Back in the day when everyone wore metal spikes, it was bad form to walk on your playing partner's line, as the spikes could wreak havoc with a green. Now that everyone is wearing soft spikes, is that still an issue? I see all manner of twisting and straddling and getting into some form of weird tripod trying to avoid stepping on a player's line while tapping out. But if you look, is there any real deformation of the green?

Is it time to do away with this tradition, or is there still some validity to it? In fact, I never understood it anyway. If you avoid your playing partner's line, who's to say you didn't just walk on the next foursome's line, or the one after that?

It's common courtesy not to. I never do, but don't really care if someone walks on mine - unless they drag their feet.

There may be enough to give the ball a small bump in either direction. I never walk in someone's line. If I have to stand too awkward, I just mark it and wait for my turn. You still apply the pressure of your entire body on the foot, so the spikes will still create a pattern in the grass. [quote name="CraiginKSA" url="/t/58420/soft-spikes-and-walking-on-the-line#post_716935"][SIZE=10pt][FONT=Arial][COLOR=000000]Is it time to do away with this tradition, or is there still some validity to it? [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=10pt][FONT=Arial][COLOR=000000]In fact, I never understood it anyway. If you avoid your playing partner's line, who's to say you didn't just walk on the next foursome's line, or the one after that?[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE] [/quote] I'm thinking that the grass may "reset" before the next group comes by. You push it down, and slowly it expands back up. It's probably such a small issue that it doesn't make that big a difference, depending on the quality of the green, but I still don't see why we should walk in someone's line. If anything, it could throw them off. If my ball is in the way, I usually ask if I can putt first to avoid the moving of the marker entirely.

its just etiquette in my book something else that will eventually fade into obscurity i guess

From a practical standpoint, there is probably some deformation of the green - especially if it's soft or just watered.  Some of the greens I've played on (munis), you could probably drive the cart right up on there and not leave a mark.

I think that to not make anyone mad, it's probably best - even from a psycholigical standpoint - to stay off a player's line.

When I walk on a putting green in early morning, my spike marks look like little animal tracks when I'm done. So, I would avoid stepping in another's line.  From my metal spike days, I believe the player's weight denting the green was always more of a factor than the actual spike mark. Even a temporary half-inch dip could influence a putt.

I don't walk in other people lines just out of respect but when I see one of my playing partners go out of their way to avoid my line I just tell them "don't worry about my line its not going to affect it"  To this day I have not had a putt that missed because someone walked in my line.